Pirates Draft Prospects Featured In Today’s Rice Game

Rice University, the college that 2011 top draft prospect Anthony Rendon goes to, took on Long Beach State University today. The matchup was significant for Pittsburgh Pirates fans, not just because the Pirates could take Rendon first overall in June, but because it featured two former Pirates draft picks going up against each other.

The matchup saw Drew Gagnon of Long Beach State taking on Austin Kubitza. Gagnon was the tenth round pick for the Pirates in the 2008 draft, and opted to go to college, rather than signing out of high school. Today Gagnon pitched eight innings, allowing a run on six hits, with a walk and six strikeouts. Gagnon was pitching a shutout until the eighth inning, where he allowed Rice’s only run in Long Beach State’s 2-1 victory. Heading in to the game, Gagnon had a 1.37 ERA in 19.2 innings over three starts, along with a 19:8 K/BB ratio. Gagnon is draft eligible again this year.

Kubitza was the seventh round pick in the 2010 draft, and held firm on his $1.5-2 M asking price, which landed him at Rice. Today he threw six innings, allowing two runs on six hits, with no walks and seven strikeouts. The two runs allowed came in the sixth inning. On the season, Kubitza now has a 2.03 ERA in 26.2 innings, with a 26:3 K/BB ratio. He has mostly been working in the 90-92 MPH range.

Rendon went 0-for-4 today, with three of those at-bats coming against Gagnon.